I recently met Eric Olson and am super excited about his projects. He’s a maker in a variety of sorts; drawing, video, digging…He’ll have an installation up at Smoke Farm this Saturday. If you haven’t gotten a ticket yet for the ‘Not to Scale’ festival, go and get it! Eric is interested in examining childhood memories and yet also questions the reality of them. His work is magical, mysterious and I can’t wait to see what else comes from his heart and mind. (side note: Eric is not this red…we were working out glitches with the tent reflecting)

Thank You Joey Bates! He was in our first gaggle of visitors to the Department of Artistic Licensing yesterday. Currently Joey is showcasing new work at Zeitgeist on 2nd and Jackson. “Recent Explosions” opened last night during 1st Thursday Art Walk in Seattle. In these prodigious renderings, heads are exploding into fire, smoke, plant life and more. Joey’s technical skill exquisitely captures line, form and color and his heart felt works in two dimensions and three, are true works of passion, grace and the essence of examining himself and then a means to share with us. I love them… Try and check out the show this month, and thanks for stopping by the ‘office!’

Very Excited to be bringing the Department of Artistic Licensing to Occidental Square Park in Seattle, Washington today. For all of July we posted a UAL of the day. Now look for featured folks, perhaps daily or every other day. Eventually we’ll move to a UAL of the week as we settle into processing licenses and see who would like to be showcased.

Amazingly I met Klara Glosova at Seattle University during Joey Veltkamp’s residency two years ago. She shared with us her vision of bringing people together in her home by creating NEPO House, a vibrant creative space where artists install throughout the house, perform in the bathroom, and place mounds of dirt in her dining room. She is a genius super creative and makes art about her everyday life that is simple yet profoundly real, asking us to ponder the delights of being human.

Brian Lane is one of the amazing artists behind PrintZero Studios. Besides hosting our Xanadu film event last summer, PrintZero is a Co-Op printer’s paradise, equipped with several types of presses where artists are working in relief printing, etching, lithography, and screen printing. He helps organize a print exchange and is always looking and finding fabulous equipment, he’ll find you a bargain for sure.

This amazing young lady is a sculptor, curator and she’s been know to appear in Xanadu dances very rarely. She looks for interesting found items to combine with other odd pieces and you never what magic could be created. She also works well with wax, clay and a variety of materials. I snapped this shot of Lauren Klenow while picking up a portrait piece from Gage Academy from a show she curated this year on Seattle Portraits.

Ms. Blackburn is involved in a myriad of activities. From making art, to writing and curating – she’s a creative powerhouse! Check out what she’s up to here: anneblackburn.com , and if you can make to the Smoke Farm lo-fi arts festival this summer you are surely in for treat, Anne’s had her hands in several projects and this is one them.

Catherine Gua is a friend, patient neighbor, illness and all around creative lady. I have heard her referred to as Cate, the Mrs, and my favorite – Lady Gua Gua. She makes a mean gluten-free, sugar-free cheese cake – No Lie! Thanks for playing!

This is Jess Marie. She recently moved to Los Angeles, and before leaving she had an art exhibit in her apartment. I imagine she spends hours on her precious drawings. Using patterns, pencil, sometimes color and family themes, her work has a rare sensitivity. So glad I could see her stuff before her departure, many of us didn’t know what was going on in her heart and mind, and we’re so grateful for the glimpse.

This is Eric Elliott the painter. Looking at his mesmerizing still lifes helps to remind me that what I see isn’t always what might be there. A fractured glimpse of time, place, object and color. He’s another one who I stand on side lines and cheer, Go Eric!